Attempted Homicide Trial Ends With A Guilty Verdict To Assault With Weapon Charge

22 year-old Anthony Mascarenas was found not guilty of attempted deliberate homicide on Tuesday in Missoula District Court, but the jury did find him guilty of felony assault with a weapon.

KGVO News reported that police responded to a series of six gun blasts early on June 30, 2016 and found a neighborhood car riddled with bullets and a woman bleeding in the street.

“On Saturday morning, about 12:10 a.m. Missoula Police Officers responded to the report of a gunshot victim in the 1700 block of Howell Street,” said Missoula Police Public Information Officer Travis Welsh. “Upon arrival, they did encounter a 21-year-old female that had suffered a gunshot wound to the knee. She did identify the person that shot her, and that person did subsequently call 911 and turned himself in, he is identified as 21-year-old Anthony Mascarenas.”

Mascarenas turned himself in, telling police officers that he was not aiming to hit her and that “It was stupid that I shot by her.”

Mascaranas' attorney told the jury that his client had every opportunity to kill his fiancee, but chose instead to drive to Rock Creek, where he eventually surrendered to police.

Chief Deputy Missoula County Attorney Jason Marks said the trial was scheduled to last a full week, but wrapped up after just two days of testimony.